U.S. patent number 7,155,777 [Application Number 10/883,120] was granted by the patent office on 2007-01-02 for closure mechanism for hinged devices.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Lexmark International, Inc.. Invention is credited to William M. Connors, Donald N. Spitz, Gregory P. Washnock.
United States Patent |
7,155,777 |
Connors , et al. |
January 2, 2007 |
Closure mechanism for hinged devices
Abstract
A closure mechanism for hinged devices having an upper member
and a lower member. The closure mechanism includes a track disposed
on the upper member and at least one support arm pivotally attached
to the lower member. A biasing element is adapted to urge the
support arm to engage the upper member and urge it to pivot to an
open configuration. The arm includes a contact element that engages
the track such that an upper end of the arm moves along the track
as the upper member pivots to an open position. The arm includes a
hook that engages a positive stop to prevent over-rotation of the
arm. In other embodiments of the closure mechanism, the arm is
pivotally attached to the upper member and moves against the lower
member, and the biasing element extends between the arm and either
the upper member or the lower member.
Inventors: |
Connors; William M. (Lexington,
KY), Spitz; Donald N. (Lexington, KY), Washnock; Gregory
P. (Lexington, KY) |
Assignee: |
Lexmark International, Inc.
(Lexington, KY)
|
Family
ID: |
35512402 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/883,120 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20060000056 A1 |
Jan 5, 2006 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
16/65; 16/286;
16/289; 16/60; 292/121; 355/75; 49/386 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
1/00519 (20130101); H04N 1/00554 (20130101); E05F
1/1261 (20130101); H04N 2201/0093 (20130101); Y10T
292/0926 (20150401); E05Y 2900/608 (20130101); Y10T
16/53834 (20150115); Y10T 16/299 (20150115); Y10T
16/2796 (20150115); Y10T 16/5383 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
E05F
3/14 (20060101); E05F 1/08 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;16/65,70,286,289-292,296-297,362-364,374,60,343-346
;49/386,387,386X ;292/95,121X,126,128,219,DIG.61
;312/324,326,329,295,223.1,319.5,319.6,319.8 ;361/680-683 ;296/76
;355/75,40,75X ;358/497,474 ;399/379-380 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
07169256 |
|
Jul 1995 |
|
JP |
|
09044947 |
|
Feb 1997 |
|
JP |
|
09146534 |
|
Jun 1997 |
|
JP |
|
2001220944 |
|
Aug 2001 |
|
JP |
|
2001279994 |
|
Oct 2001 |
|
JP |
|
WO 9604448 |
|
Feb 1996 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Mah; Chuck Y.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Erickson; Douglas E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A closure mechanism for a hinged device having an upper member
pivotally attached to a lower member, comprising: a support arm
pivotally attached to one of the upper member and the lower member;
and a biasing element adapted to urge a free end of the support arm
against the other member, thereby urging the upper member to pivot
to an open position whereby the support arm cams against the other
member as the other member pivots, wherein the upper member is a
scanner assembly and the lower member is a printer assembly of an
all-in-one device, wherein the support arm includes a hook member
shaped to engage the other member, thereby preventing over-rotation
of the support arm relative to the other member, and further
comprising a positive stop formed in the other member shaped to
receive the hook member.
2. A closure mechanism for a hinged device having an upper member
pivotally attached to a lower member, comprising: a support arm
pivotally attached to the lower member; and a biasing element
adapted to urge the support arm against the upper member, thereby
urging the upper member to pivot to an open position whereby the
support arm cams against the upper member as the upper member
pivots, wherein the upper member is a scanner assembly and the
lower member is a printer assembly of an all-in-one device, wherein
the biasing element includes a pair of resilient elements
cooperating to urge the support arm to pivot to open the upper
member, and wherein one of the resilient elements is a compression
spring.
3. A closure mechanism for a hinged device having an upper member
and a lower member, comprising: a track and a positive stop
disposed on the upper member; a support arm having a hook member
and being pivotally attached to the lower member; a roller element
rotatably attached to the support arm; and a torsion spring adapted
to urge the roller element against the track, thereby urging the
upper member to pivot until the hook member engages the positive
stop when the upper member reaches a predetermined pivot angle
relative to the lower member, wherein the upper member is a scanner
assembly and the lower member is a printer assembly of an
all-in-one device, and further comprising a second resilient
element cooperating with the torsion spring to urge the support arm
to pivot to open the upper member, wherein the second resilient
element is a compression spring.
Description
FIELD
The present invention relates generally to closure mechanisms and,
more particularly, to a closure mechanism for a scanner assembly of
an all-in-one device.
BACKGROUND
All-in-one ("AIO") devices are popular because they provide
printing, copying, scanning and facsimile capabilities in a single
unit. AIO devices may be connected to a host computer, or a
network, or may operate in a standalone mode.
AIO devices require periodic replenishment of consumables, such as
ink or toner cartridges, cleaning webs and media such as paper.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide convenient access to remove
depleted consumables and install replacements, as well as remove
foreign objects from the AIO device. Since AIO devices are consumer
items, they are often serviced by users having little or no
technical knowledge of the AIO device. Thus, there is a need to
provide users with the capability to access the replenishment
points of the printer easily.
A common occurrence with printers, including the printer component
of an AIO device, is jamming due to misfeeding of a sheet of media
from an associated storage tray. Sheets of media in a storage tray
may stick together, causing several sheets to be fed from the tray
at once and jamming. Thus, there is a need to access certain
portions of the AIO device to clear jammed media or foreign objects
from the paper and carrier paths.
AIO devices are typically constructed with an upper portion having
a platen, an original cover pivotally disposed over the platen, and
a scanner for digitizing an original placed on the platen. A lower
printer portion of the AIO device typically includes a media
storage tray, a transport mechanism, ink or toner cartridges and
other components to facilitate printing onto a medium such as
paper. It is desirable to connect the scanner portion to the
printer portion by a hinge, allowing a user to pivot the scanner
portion away from the printer portion, preferably upwardly, to gain
access to consumables and clear jammed media or foreign objects
from the paper and carrier paths.
However, the weight of the scanner portion requires that some form
of assistance be provided to allow a user to pivot the scanner
portion easily from a closed position proximate the printer portion
to an open position away from the printer portion. There is also a
need to support the scanner portion while it is in the open
position so that the user may have both hands free to service the
printer.
Cover closer mechanisms exist that offer potential solutions to the
assistance and support of a scanner portion of an AIO device.
Example cover closers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,712 to
Fujitaka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,963 to Hosaka, U.S. Pat. No.
6,363,576 to Hsu et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,365 to Hosaka et
al. However, for various reasons these and other cover closers
cannot be satisfactorily used or adapted for use as assist and
support mechanisms for the scanner component of an AIO device. For
example, a scanner portion is typically much heavier than a cover
closer, making many cover closers unwieldy for use with a scanner
portion due to the correspondingly heavy-duty components that would
be required to support the added weight of the scanner portion.
In addition, cover closers typically provide means for elevating
the cover above the platen to accommodate a thick original. This
feature is undesirable for use with a scanner portion, since the
elevation means would make the scanner portion unstable when in an
open position. Further, the arrangement of the components of many
cover closers make them unsuitable for adaptation for use with a
scanner portion because the components could intrude into the
printer portion and reduce the serviceability of the AIO device.
Another drawback of cover closers is their relatively high cost and
complexity due to the wide range of motion needed to access the
platen and the high repetitive-motion duty cycle requirement of the
cover closer, which is operated many times over the life of the AIO
Device. In contrast, a scanner portion support is operated only
when access to consumables is needed. A scanner portion is also
operable with a relatively limited range of motion as compared to
that required for a cover closer.
A pivotable rod or brace is frequently utilized in hinged devices
to provide support. With this type of support the rod is pivotally
attached to a lower portion of the device, proximate a corner away
from the hinge. The user pivots an upper portion of the hinged
device upwardly, then moves the rod from a generally horizontal
stowed position to a generally vertical support position while
holding the scanner. A free end of the rod is inserted into an
opening or catch of the upper portion, thus holding the upper
portion in an open position. To close the upper portion, the user
must raise it slightly to release the rod, pivot the rod to the
stowed position, then gently pivot the upper portion to its closed
position atop the lower portion. This type of support mechanism
suffers from several drawbacks. For example, such supports do
nothing to assist in the opening and closing of the upper portion.
Further, rod supports can be inconvenient for the user, who must
hold the scanner open with one hand while positioning the rod with
the other hand. Also, if the support rod is improperly engaged to
the opening or catch there is a risk that the rod will slip, with
the potential to cause damage to the AIO device and injury to the
user. In addition, the position of the raised rod can block the
user's access to consumables.
Accordingly, there is a need for an assist and support mechanism
capable of compensating for the weight of a scanner portion of an
AIO device when the scanner portion is opened and closed, and
supporting the scanner portion when it is in an open position.
There is also a need for an assist and support mechanism that does
not interfere with a user's access to consumables, and for an
assist and support mechanism that is relatively simple and
inexpensive.
SUMMARY
The present invention is a closure mechanism for an AIO device
having a scanner portion pivotally attached to a printer portion to
provide a user with access to consumables for maintenance. When the
AIO device is opened by a user, the scanner portion is pivoted away
from the printer portion and a pair of support arms pivot in a
direction opposite to that of the scanner assembly by biasing
means, such as a torsion spring and a compression spring. As the
user opens the scanner portion, the user initially must support at
least some of the weight of the scanner portion. After the scanner
portion is pivoted to a predetermined angle relative to the printer
portion, the biasing means of the support arms overcomes the weight
of the scanner portion and will pivot it to an open position
without further assistance from the user. The invention preferably
includes a positive stop, such as hooks on the support arms, to
prevent over-rotation of the scanner portion. In a preferred
embodiment, the biasing element includes a torsion spring sized to
support the weight of the scanner portion in an open position. The
scanner base preferably includes a track shaped to receive a
contact element of the support arm, preferably to provide a
consistent path for the contact element and support arm as the
scanner element pivots.
Further features of the inventive embodiments of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description, the
accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the general arrangement of a
typical all-in-one device.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the all-in-one device of FIG. 1,
showing a scanner portion pivoted to an open position.
FIG. 2A is a side elevational view of a closure mechanism of the
present invention in an open position according to an embodiment of
the present invention.
FIG. 2B is a side elevational view of a closure mechanism of the
present invention in an open position according to an alternate
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the closure mechanism of FIG.
2A in a closed position.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the closure mechanism of FIG. 2A in
an open position.
FIG. 5 is a graph of the typical forces associated with the closure
mechanism of FIG. 2A.
FIG. 6 is a free body diagram of the closure mechanism of FIGS. 2A
and 2B
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the closure mechanism of an
alternate embodiment of the present invention in an open
position.
FIG. 8 is a free body diagram of the closure mechanism of FIG.
7.
FIG. 9 is a free body diagram of a closure mechanism of a third
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a free body diagram of a closure mechanism of a fourth
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a free body diagram of a closure mechanism of a fifth
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A typical AIO device 10 is depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B and includes
an upper scanner portion 12 and a lower printer portion 14. Scanner
portion 12 is pivotally attached to the rear of printer portion 14
by hinge 16, allowing the scanner portion to be pivoted from a
closed position adjacent the printer portion, as shown in FIG. 1A,
to an open position, as shown in FIG. 1B.
A closure mechanism, generally designated 18, and herein termed
"support" for convenience, is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B according to
an embodiment of the present invention. Support 18 comprises a
support arm 20, a contact element 22, a biasing element 23
preferably including at least one of a torsion spring 24 and a coil
spring 34, and a track 26.
Support arm 20 includes a pivot 28 at one end and a hook portion 30
at an opposing end, and is attached to torsion spring 24. Support
arm 20 is hinged about pivot 28 such that the support arm is
pivotally attached to printer portion 14 and oriented generally
perpendicular to hinge 16. In this embodiment, support arm 20
pivots in a direction of rotation opposite that of the scanner
portion 12 as it pivots about hinge 16. It should be noted that
support arm 20 may be formed in any desired shape appropriate to
the geometry of a particular hinged device such as AIO device 10,
including variations in length, width, cutouts, bends, openings,
gaps and tabs to accommodate the hinged device and any proximate
components. Support arm 20 may be made from any suitable materials
including, without limitation, metals, plastics and composite
materials, and may be hardened and finished or coated in any
conventional manner.
Contact element 22 is attached to a free end of support arm 20
proximate hook portion 30 in any conventional manner including,
without limitation, a rivet, pin, fastener, screw and link. Contact
element 22 may be a roller element (as shown in FIGS. 2A, 3, 4 and
7) or may be a sliding element, as shown in FIG. 2B. Contact
element 22 may be made from any suitable materials such as, for
example, metals, plastics and composite materials, and may be
hardened and finished or coated in any conventional manner. Contact
element 22 may optionally include at least one groove 32 (see FIG.
4).
Torsion spring 24 is coupled to printer portion 14 and support arm
20, and is adapted to urge the support arm away from the printer
portion. Track 26 is formed on an underside of scanner portion 12
and faces support arm 20. Track 26 includes one or more generally
longitudinal projections from scanner portion 12, and may be an
integral molded or machined feature of the scanner or may be
separate elements attached to the scanner portion.
With continued reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a compression coil
spring 34 may optionally be attached to and extend between printer
portion 14 and support arm-20 and oriented to pivot the support arm
away from the printer portion.
With reference to FIGS. 2 4 in combination, in operation, contact
element 22 engages track 26 by the force of biasing element 23 and
the weight of scanner portion 12 such that the track engages
grooves 32 of the contact element. In other embodiments, contact
element 22 may lack grooves and may engage track 26 by fitting
between or over the longitudinal projections of the track. When
scanner portion 12 is in a closed position (see FIG. 3), support
arm 20 is forced to a position generally parallel to the scanner
portion as shown in FIG. 3. In the closed position, the weight of
scanner portion 12 is sufficient to overcome the force of biasing
element 23, allowing the scanner portion to rest against printer
portion 14.
A graph of the relative forces associated with the present
invention is depicted in FIG. 5. As scanner portion 12 is pivoted
from the closed position of FIG. 3 to the open position of FIGS. 2A
and 2B, a user must initially overcome a portion of the weight of
the scanner portion, as indicated by the negative values of force
40 of the graph of FIG. 5. With reference to FIG. 6 and FIGS. 8 11,
force 40 of FIG. 5 is depicted as F.sub.c. As scanner portion 12 is
pivoted further, the resistance to opening as experienced by a user
becomes positive at a predetermined angle of rotation and beyond it
the scanner portion is assisted open by the action of biasing
element 23 urging support arm 20 away from printer portion 14. In
the example of force 40, this point is at about 30.degree., from
the closed position (zero degrees).
Additional relative force values are depicted in FIG. 5 for general
reference. Force 42, a constant value of about 10 N, represents an
upper limit of the force necessary for the user to close scanner
portion 12 once opened. Force 42 can be chosen from a range of
positive values that conform to a predetermined set of criteria for
a printing device 10. In the example of FIG. 5, this limit is
reached at about 37.degree. from the closed position. If rotation
is allowed beyond this point, the force required by the user to
close scanner portion 12 grows quickly.
Force 44 in FIG. 5 is the weight of scanner portion 12, which in
this example is about 42 N. Force 44 is also depicted in FIG. 6 and
FIGS. 8 11 by the force F.sub.s. Forces 46 and 48 of FIG. 5 are the
reaction forces of hinge 16 and support arm 20, depicted in FIG. 6
and FIGS. 8 11 as F.sub.h and F.sub.r, respectively.
With reference again to FIGS. 2 and 3, as scanner portion 12 is
pivoted about hinge 16 to an open position, contact element 22
moves along track 26, the contact element being urged against the
track by biasing element 23. If contact element 22 is a roller
element, the contact element will roll along track 26. If contact
element 22 is a sliding element, the contact element will move
slidably along track 26. [Support arm 20 thus cams against upper
member 12]. At a predetermined maximum angle of rotation, hook
portion 30 of support arm 20 engages a positive stop 36. Positive
stop 36 may be an integral feature of scanner portion 12, such as a
molded or molded-in component, or may be a separate component such
as a bracket that is attached to the scanner portion. Hook portion
30 and positive stop 36 function to position scanner portion 12 at
a predetermined angle of rotation with reference to printer portion
14. In addition, hook portion 30 and positive stop 36 prevent
over-rotation of scanner portion 12, which would allow the torsion
spring 24 to rotate support arm 20 to or beyond a perpendicular
position with scanner portion 12, thereby preventing the support
arm from being pivoted to the closed position when the scanner
portion is closed. Scanner portion 12 is held in the open position
by biasing element 23.
To move the scanner portion 12 from the open position of FIGS. 2A
and 2B to the closed position of FIG. 3, the user initially must
overcome the force of biasing element 23, as shown in line 40 of
FIG. 5, at any angle greater than about 30.degree. of rotation. As
also indicated by line 40, as the angle of rotation decreases the
influence of biasing element 23 also decreases, allowing scanner
portion 12 to move to the closed position of about zero
degrees.
As scanner portion 12 is pivoted about hinge 16 to the closed
position, contact element 22 moves along track 26, the contact
element being urged against the track by biasing element 23. If
contact element 22 is a roller element, the contact element will
roll along track 26. If contact element 22 is a sliding element,
the contact element will move slidably along track 26. [Support arm
20 thus cams against upper member 12]. In the closed position,
scanner portion 12 rests atop printer portion 14 and support arm 20
is positioned generally parallel to the scanner portion.
A second resilient element, coil spring 34, optionally may be
coupled between support arm 20 and printer portion 14, as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3. Aside from a coil spring 34, any conventional
resilient element may be used, including, but not limited to,
Belleville washers, a leaf spring and elastic material.
Spring 34 is minimally loaded when scanner portion 12 is in the
open position, and its force is greatest when the scanner portion
is in the closed position. Spring 34 thus functions to reduce the
effective weight of scanner portion 12 as perceived by the user
when opening and closing the scanner portion. In addition, spring
34 aids in preventing scanner portion 12 from closing too quickly,
which might damage any of the scanner portion, printer portion 14
or hinge 16. Spring 34 also serves to impart a smooth and
consistent pivoting motion of scanner portion 12 about hinge
16.
As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, contact element 22 is biased
against track 26 by springs 24, 34. The force of coil spring 34 is
additive to that of the force exerted by spring 24. Thus, a user
closing scanner portion 12 must overcome the force of both springs
24 and 34. Likewise, the additive forces of springs 24, 34 make the
effective weight of scanner portion 12 lighter than the effective
weight of the scanner portion with spring 24 alone, as the scanner
portion is pivoted from the closed position of FIG. 3 to the open
position of FIGS. 2A and 2B.
A free body diagram of support 18 according to an embodiment of the
present invention is shown in FIG. 6, representing forces
associated with scanner portion 12 and support arm 20. F.sub.h is
the reaction force of scanner portion 12 at hinge 16, F.sub.s is
the weight force of scanner portion 12, F.sub.l is the weight force
of support arm 20, F.sub.r is the reaction force of support arm 20
in scanner portion 12, F.sub.f is the frictional force between
contact element 22 and track 26, F.sub.c is the force exerted by a
user, F.sub.cs is the force exerted by second resilient element 34,
T.sub.s is the torque required to support scanner assembly 12, and
.theta. is the angle of support arm 20 with respect to scanner
portion 12.
With regard to FIG. 7, in an alternate embodiment of the present
invention a closure, generally designated 100, includes a support
arm 20' pivotally connected to printer portion 14'. Support arm 20'
is oriented generally perpendicular to hinge 16' such that hook
portion 30' is positioned away from the hinge and pivot 28' is
positioned toward the hinge. Support arm 20' thus pivots in the
same direction of rotation as scanner portion 12'. Biasing element
23, contact element 22', track 26', hook 30', and positive stop 36'
all function in the manner previously discussed for the embodiment
of FIGS. 2A and 2B. Coil spring 34' optionally may be included,
also functioning in the manner previously described for the
embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B.
A free body diagram of support 100 of FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 8,
representing forces associated with scanner portion 12' and support
arm 20'. F.sub.h is the reaction force of scanner portion 12' at
hinge 16', F.sub.s is the weight force of scanner portion 12',
F.sub.l is the weight force of support arm 20', F.sub.r is the
reaction force of support arm 20' in scanner portion 12', F.sub.f
is the frictional force between contact element 22' and track 26',
F.sub.c is the force exerted by a user, T.sub.s is the torque
required to support scanner assembly 12', and .theta. is the angle
of support arm 20' with respect to scanner portion 12'.
As shown as a free body diagram in FIG. 9, in an alternate
embodiment of the present invention, a closure device generally
designated 200, utilizes a conventional pneumatic element 38'',
such as a piston. The support arm 20'' is pivotally attached to
scanner portion 12'' and slides or rolls along printer portion
14''. Spring 34'' extends between printer portion 14'' and arm
20''. F.sub.h is the reaction force of scanner portion 12'' at
hinge 16'', F.sub.s is the weight force of the scanner portion,
F.sub.l is the weight force of support arm 20'', F.sub.r is the
reaction force of support arm 20'' against the printer portion
14'', F.sub.f is the frictional force between contact element 22''
and track 16'', F.sub.c is the force exerted by a user against the
scanner portion, F.sub.cs is the force exerted by an optional
second resilient element 34'', and .theta. is the angle made by
support arm 20'' with printer portion 14'' extending between the
printer portion and arm 20''.
Pneumatic piston 38 of support 200 moves in a linear direction
along the printer portion 14'' to urge support arm 20'', pivotally
attached to scanner portion 12''. A resilient element 34''
optionally may be included, such as a compression spring 34''.
Closure 200 may be positioned to be forwardly-hinged or
reversely-hinged in the same manner as supports 18, 100 of FIGS. 2
and 7, respectively.
In another alternate embodiment of the present invention, shown as
a free body diagram in FIG. 10, a closure device generally
designated 300 utilizes an extension spring 24''' for a resilient
element. In this embodiment, support arm 20''' is pivotally
attached to scanner portion 12''' and slides against a track
mounted on printer portion 14''' to pivot the scanner portion to an
open position. The force exerted by spring 24''' is represented by
F.sub.es and urges arm 20''' to rotate clockwise. F.sub.h is the
reaction force of the scanner portion 12''' at hinge 16''', F.sub.s
is the weight force of scanner portion 12''', F.sub.c is the weight
force of support arm 20''', F.sub.r is the reaction force of
support arm 20''' in printer portion 14''', F.sub.f is the
frictional force between contact element 22''' and track 26''',
F.sub.c is the force exerted by a user, and .theta. is the angle of
support arm 20''' with respect to printer portion 14'''. Support
300 may be positioned to be forwardly-hinged or reversely-hinged in
the same manner as supports 18, 100 of FIGS. 2 and 7,
respectively.
In another alternate embodiment of the present invention, shown as
a free body diagram in FIG. 11, a closure generally designated 400
utilizes a compression spring for resilient element 24'''' that
extends between arm 20'''' and scanner portion 12''''. Arm 20''''
is pivotally attached to scanner portion 12'''' and slides or rolls
against printer portion 14''''. The force exerted by spring 24''''
is represented by F.sub.cs. F.sub.h is the reaction force of
printer portion 14'''' at hinge 16'''', F.sub.s is the weight force
of scanner portion 12'''', F.sub.l is the weight force of support
arm 20'''' on printer portion 14'''', F.sub.r is the reaction force
of support arm 20'''' against printer portion 14'''', F.sub.f is
the frictional force between contact element 22'''' and track
26'''', F.sub.c is the force exerted by a user, and .theta. is the
angle support arm 20'''' makes with printer portion 14''''. Support
400 may be positioned to be forwardly-hinged or reversely-hinged in
the same manner as supports 18, 100 of FIGS. 2 and 7,
respectively.
Although structural details of supports 200, 300 and 400 are not
shown, the structural details of these alternate embodiments are
sufficiently similar to supports 18 and 100 that the free body
diagrams of FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 and associated discussion may be
readily interpreted with general reference to the discussion for
supports 18 and 100.
Supports 18, 100, 200, 300 and 400 may each be arranged in a
generally reverse order in alternate embodiments such that track 26
and positive stop 36 are disposed on printer portion 14 and support
arm 20 and associated components such as resilient elements 24, 34
are attached to scanner portion 12. Operation of such reverse-order
embodiments is otherwise similar to that previously discussed for
supports 18, 100, 200, 300 and 400.
While this invention has been shown and described with respect to a
detailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various
changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing
from the scope of the claims of the invention. For example,
supports 18, 100, 200, 300 and 400 have been disclosed with
reference to use with an AIO device. However, supports 18, 100,
200, 300 and 400 may be used with any hinged device. Thus, supports
18, 100, 200, 300 and 400 may be used with such hinged devices as,
without limitation, printers, photocopiers, and imaging devices. In
addition, supports 18, 100, 200, 300 and 400 may be used with
hinged portions of various household, commercial, and industrial
devices such as electrical, mechanical and electromechanical
equipment.
* * * * *